.gif)
Shasta (deity)
Encyclopedia
Shasta or Sastha is the name of a number of Hindu
deities in South India
. Shasta is a generic Sanskrit
term for a teacher. In South India, Shasta or Aiyanar-Shasta is attested from the 3rd century C.E in Tamil Nadu
state. In Kerala
where the Shasta cult is well developed, he is attested from 855 C.E. Shasta cult is used as a cult of syncretism
that tends to unite the Saivite and Vaishnavites sects of Hinduism. Shasta cult is also used to connect a number of local South Indian warrior deities with the high Hindu pantheon.
In Tamil Nadu state, Shasta is used as another name of the village guardian deity Aiyanar. The earliest reference to Aiynar-Shasta includes two or more hero stone
s to hunting chiefs from the Arcot district in Tamil Nadu. The hero stones are dated to the 3rd century C.E. They read "Ayanappa; a shrine to Cattan." This is followed by another inscription in Uraiyur near Tiruchirapalli
which is dated to the 4th century C.E.
Literary references to Aiyanar-Cattan are found in Silappatikaram, a Tamil
work dated to the 4th to 5th centuries C.E. The tamil sangam classics Purananuru, Akananuru etc refer to ayyanar and "cattan" in many poems. Some tamil inscriptions of sangam times and also of the later pallava and chola period coming in from various parts of the empire refer to him as sevugan and mahasasta. The hymns of some alwars like tirumangai alwar and nammalwar in temples like tirumogur near madurai refer to sasta. A Sanskrit work dated prior to the 7th century known as Brahmanda Purana
mentions Shasta as harihara suta or son of Siva and Narayana(Vishnu). There are references in puranas that narrate as to how sasta during his tenure on earth long ago conducted discourses on vedas and vedantas to a galaxy of gods and sages. Later on the Saivite revivalist Appar sang about Shasta as the progeny of Shiva
and tirumaal(Vishnu) in one of his Tevaram
s in the 7th century. The child saint tirugnanasambandar in one of his songs praises ayyanar as celibate god, invincible and terrible in warfare, taking his abode alongside bhootaganas of Lord Siva. Adi sankara also has referred to ayyanar in sivanandalahari in one verse . Some ancient hagiographies have accounted that sri sankara was a deivamsam(divine soul portion) of sree sasta(sevugan), the same way as tirugnana sambandar was a divine portion of skanda and sundarar a divine portion of alalasundarar.He is also known to have composed verses praising the deity but the same are not available to us as of today. From the Chola period (9th century C.E) onwards the popularity of Aiyanar-Shasta became even more pronounced as is attested by epigraphy and imagery.
. The earliest inscription to Shasta was made in 855 C.E by an Ay King at the Padmanabhapuram
Sivan temple. Independent temples to Shasta are known from the 11th century C.E. Prior to that, Shasta veneration took place in the temples of Shiva
and Vishnu
, the premier gods of the Hindu pantheon. Since late medieval times, the warrior deity Ayyappa, whose cult has become very popular in the 20th century, has been identified with the Shasta cult as well.
. Both are warrier deities associated with indigenous tribal people
. Shasta also has a sanskriting
legend that connects him with the high gods of Hinduism. Legends indicate that Shasta is the son of a union between Shiva
and the female form of Vishnu
, namely Mohini
. The Shasta cult is also an attempt at reconciling the differences between the sects of Saivites and Vaishnavites amongst Hindus.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
deities in South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. Shasta is a generic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
term for a teacher. In South India, Shasta or Aiyanar-Shasta is attested from the 3rd century C.E in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
state. In Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
where the Shasta cult is well developed, he is attested from 855 C.E. Shasta cult is used as a cult of syncretism
Syncretism
Syncretism is the combining of different beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. The term means "combining", but see below for the origin of the word...
that tends to unite the Saivite and Vaishnavites sects of Hinduism. Shasta cult is also used to connect a number of local South Indian warrior deities with the high Hindu pantheon.
Tamil Nadu
Hero stone
Hero stone is a memorial commemorating the honorable death of a hero in battle of Tamil People. A hero stone can display a variety of adornments, including bas relief panels, statues, and figures of carved stone...
s to hunting chiefs from the Arcot district in Tamil Nadu. The hero stones are dated to the 3rd century C.E. They read "Ayanappa; a shrine to Cattan." This is followed by another inscription in Uraiyur near Tiruchirapalli
Tiruchirapalli
Tiruchirappalli ) , also called Tiruchi or Trichy , is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli District. It is the fourth largest municipal corporation in Tamil Nadu and also the fourth largest urban agglomeration in the state...
which is dated to the 4th century C.E.
Literary references to Aiyanar-Cattan are found in Silappatikaram, a Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
work dated to the 4th to 5th centuries C.E. The tamil sangam classics Purananuru, Akananuru etc refer to ayyanar and "cattan" in many poems. Some tamil inscriptions of sangam times and also of the later pallava and chola period coming in from various parts of the empire refer to him as sevugan and mahasasta. The hymns of some alwars like tirumangai alwar and nammalwar in temples like tirumogur near madurai refer to sasta. A Sanskrit work dated prior to the 7th century known as Brahmanda Purana
Brahmanda Purana
The Brahmanda Purana is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts and has been assigned the eighteenth place in almost all the lists of the Puranas.Brahma in Sanskrit means "the biggest", anda/andam means globe...
mentions Shasta as harihara suta or son of Siva and Narayana(Vishnu). There are references in puranas that narrate as to how sasta during his tenure on earth long ago conducted discourses on vedas and vedantas to a galaxy of gods and sages. Later on the Saivite revivalist Appar sang about Shasta as the progeny of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
and tirumaal(Vishnu) in one of his Tevaram
Tevaram
The Tevaram denotes the first seven volumes of the Tirumurai, the twelve-volume collection of Tamil Saivite devotional poetry. All seven volumes are dedicated to the works of the three most prominent Tamil poets - Campantar , Appar and Cuntarar...
s in the 7th century. The child saint tirugnanasambandar in one of his songs praises ayyanar as celibate god, invincible and terrible in warfare, taking his abode alongside bhootaganas of Lord Siva. Adi sankara also has referred to ayyanar in sivanandalahari in one verse . Some ancient hagiographies have accounted that sri sankara was a deivamsam(divine soul portion) of sree sasta(sevugan), the same way as tirugnana sambandar was a divine portion of skanda and sundarar a divine portion of alalasundarar.He is also known to have composed verses praising the deity but the same are not available to us as of today. From the Chola period (9th century C.E) onwards the popularity of Aiyanar-Shasta became even more pronounced as is attested by epigraphy and imagery.
Kerala
The Shasta cult is particularly well developed in the state of KeralaKerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. The earliest inscription to Shasta was made in 855 C.E by an Ay King at the Padmanabhapuram
Padmanabhapuram
Padmanabhapuram a city and a municipality near Thuckalay in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-History:Padmanabhapuram was the old capital of the princely state of Travancore in India...
Sivan temple. Independent temples to Shasta are known from the 11th century C.E. Prior to that, Shasta veneration took place in the temples of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
and Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
, the premier gods of the Hindu pantheon. Since late medieval times, the warrior deity Ayyappa, whose cult has become very popular in the 20th century, has been identified with the Shasta cult as well.
Agent of syncretism
Shasta, which is a generic term for a teacher in Sanskrit. In South India, a number of deities are known by this name. Dharma-Shasta is Ayyappa whereas Brahma-Shasta is SkandaSkanda
Skanda is the name of deities popular amongst Hindus and Buddhists.* Skanda, a Hindu deity also known as Kartikeya and Murugan and Subhramanya* Skanda , a popular Deva and/or Bodhisattva popular in Chinese Buddhism...
. Both are warrier deities associated with indigenous tribal people
Adivasi
Adivasi is an umbrella term for a heterogeneous set of ethnic and tribal groups claimed to be the aboriginal population of India. They comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population of India...
. Shasta also has a sanskriting
Sanskritisation
Sanskritization or Sanskritisation is a particular form of social change found in India and Nepal. It denotes the process by which castes placed lower in the caste hierarchy seek upward mobility by emulating the rituals and practices of the upper or dominant castes. It is a process similar to...
legend that connects him with the high gods of Hinduism. Legends indicate that Shasta is the son of a union between Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
and the female form of Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
, namely Mohini
Mohini
Mohini , in Hindu mythology, is the name of the only female Avatar of the god Vishnu. She is portrayed as a femme fatale, an enchantress, who maddens lovers, sometimes leading them to their doom. Mohini is introduced into the Hindu mythos in the narrative epic of the Mahabharata...
. The Shasta cult is also an attempt at reconciling the differences between the sects of Saivites and Vaishnavites amongst Hindus.